"Five hundred million dollars!" the auctioneer announced, his voice vibrating with excitement at the record-breaking price. "Going once... Going twice... Sold! To Mr. Blake for $500 million! A magnificent acquisition!"
Ethan's heart hammered against his ribs. He managed a subtle, internal sigh of relief, though his vast reserves had just taken a massive hit. After acquiring the other items and now Emily, his liquid assets, even with the $200 million stolen from Axhel, were rapidly dwindling, leaving him with slightly less than $300 million remaining. Had the old man raised the bid one more time, Ethan would have been forced to stop.
The auctioneer clapped and signaled the security team to escort a terrified, crying Emily off the podium.
"Congratulations, Mr. Blake," Thompson whispered, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. "That was... aggressive. Truly indicative of your power. That price would bankrupt three national banks."
